Why is Okonkwo's exile ironic in Things Fall Apart?

Okonkwo's exile is ironic in that Okonkwo leaves and
everything in his village changes. While Okonkwo is away, the white man comes in and
begins converting more men from Umuofia to Christianity. It is ironic in that Okonkwo
seemed to be holding his village together. He in all his fierceness served as a leader
who kept Umuofia safe from the intruders. Now, ironically, in Okonkwo's exile, he loses
his standing in both places.

In the seven years that
Okonkwo was exiled, things began falling apart in his village. In only seven years,
Okonkwo does not recognize his village. The irony is in the fact that Okonkwo cannot get
his village leaders to go to war. To have a been such a strong leader, now Okonkwo has
lost his authority.

Another example of irony is that
Okonkwo took Ikemefuna into his own home. Now, Okonkwo understands how Ikemefuna feels
having to leave his homeland. The irony is in the fact that Okonkwo becomes an exile
just as Ikemfuna. Ikemefuna left his home behind, not knowing what to expect. In much
the same way, Okonkwo has left his home behind not thinking that so much will change in
his absence.

The irony is that Okonkwo blames everything on
his chi. He does not take responsibility for his own
actions:

When
Okonkwo is in exile, he ponders the tribe's view of his chi. He thinks that maybe they
have been wrong—that his chi was not made for great things. Okonkwo blames his exile on
his chi. He refuses to accept that his actions have led him to this point. He sees no
connections among his breaking the Week of Peace, his killing Ikemefuna, and his
shooting Ezeudu's son. In Okonkwo's eyes, his troubles result from ill fate and
chance.

Ironically, these are
the opposite actions of a strong leader. Okonkwo is not as strong as he appears. He
cannot handle it when the village will not go to war. Ironically, Okonkwo leaves his
village a strong man. He comes back and is not as strong as he once was. He hangs
himself because his village is falling apart. Ironically, he dies without honors, just
like his father.